amy foster-第2节
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been seen once by some boys on her knees in the wet
grass helping a toad in difficulties。 If it's true； as
some German fellow has said； that without phos…
phorus there is no thought； it is still more true that
there is no kindness of heart without a certain
amount of imagination。 She had some。 She had
even more than is necessary to understand suffer…
ing and to be moved by pity。 She fell in love un…
der circumstances that leave no room for doubt in
the matter； for you need imagination to form a
notion of beauty at all； and still more to discover
your ideal in an unfamiliar shape。
〃How this aptitude came to her； what it did
feed upon； is an inscrutable mystery。 She was
born in the village； and had never been further
away from it than Colebrook or perhaps Darnford。
She lived for four years with the Smiths。 New
Barns is an isolated farmhouse a mile away from
the road； and she was content to look day after
day at the same fields； hollows； rises； at the trees
and the hedgerows； at the faces of the four men
about the farm； always the sameday after day；
month after month； year after year。 She never
showed a desire for conversation； and； as it seemed
to me； she did not know how to smile。 Sometimes
of a fine Sunday afternoon she would put on her
best dress； a pair of stout boots； a large grey hat
trimmed with a black feather （I've seen her in that
finery）； seize an absurdly slender parasol； climb
over two stiles； tramp over three fields and along
two hundred yards of roadnever further。 There
stood Foster's cottage。 She would help her mother
to give their tea to the younger children； wash up
the crockery； kiss the little ones； and go back to
the farm。 That was all。 All the rest； all the
change； all the relaxation。 She never seemed to
wish for anything more。 And then she fell in love。
She fell in love silently； obstinatelyperhaps help…
lessly。 It came slowly； but when it came it worked
like a powerful spell； it was love as the Ancients
understood it： an irresistible and fateful impulse
a possession！ Yes； it was in her to become haunted
and possessed by a face； by a presence； fatally； as
though she had been a pagan worshipper of form
under a joyous skyand to be awakened at last
from that mysterious forgetfulness of self； from
that enchantment； from that transport； by a
fear resembling the unaccountable terror of a
brute。 。 。 。〃
With the sun hanging low on its western limit；
the expanse of the grass…lands framed in the coun…
ter…scarps of the rising ground took on a gorgeous
and sombre aspect。 A sense of penetrating sad…
ness； like that inspired by a grave strain of music；
disengaged itself from the silence of the fields。
The men we met walked past slow； unsmiling； with
downcast eyes； as if the melancholy of an over…bur…
dened earth had weighted their feet； bowed their
shoulders； borne down their glances。
〃Yes；〃 said the doctor to my remark； 〃one
would think the earth is under a curse； since of all
her children these that cling to her the closest are
uncouth in body and as leaden of gait as if their
very hearts were loaded with chains。 But here on
this same road you might have seen amongst these
heavy men a being lithe； supple； and long…limbed；
straight like a pine with something striving up…
wards in his appearance as though the heart with…
in him had been buoyant。 Perhaps it was only the
force of the contrast； but when he was passing one
of these villagers here； the soles of his feet did not
seem to me to touch the dust of the road。 He
vaulted over the stiles； paced these slopes with a
long elastic stride that made him noticeable at a
great distance； and had lustrous black eyes。 He
was so different from the mankind around that；
with his freedom of movement； his softa little
startled； glance； his olive complexion and graceful
bearing； his humanity suggested to me the nature
of a woodland creature。 He came from there。〃
The doctor pointed with his whip； and from the
summit of the descent seen over the rolling tops of
the trees in a park by the side of the road； appeared
the level sea far below us； like the floor of an im…
mense edifice inlaid with bands of dark ripple； with
still trails of glitter； ending in a belt of glassy
water at the foot of the sky。 The light blur of
smoke； from an invisible steamer； faded on the
great clearness of the horizon like the mist of a
breath on a mirror； and； inshore； the white sails of
a coaster； with the appearance of disentangling
themselves slowly from under the branches； floated
clear of the foliage of the trees。
〃Shipwrecked in the bay？〃 I said。
〃Yes； he was a castaway。 A poor emigrant
from Central Europe bound to America and washed
ashore here in a storm。 And for him； who knew
nothing of the earth； England was an undiscovered
country。 It was some time before he learned its
name； and for all I know he might have expected
to find wild beasts or wild men here； when； crawling
in the dark over the sea…wall； he rolled down the
other side into a dyke； where it was another miracle
he didn't get drowned。 But he struggled instinc…
tively like an animal under a net； and this blind
struggle threw him out into a field。 He must have
been； indeed； of a tougher fibre than he looked to
withstand without expiring such buffetings； the
violence of his exertions； and so much fear。 Later
on； in his broken English that resembled curiously
the speech of a young child； he told me himself that
he put his trust in God； believing he was no longer
in this world。 And trulyhe would addhow was
he to know？ He fought his way against the rain
and the gale on all fours； and crawled at last
among some sheep huddled close under the lee of a
hedge。 They ran off in all directions； bleating in
the darkness； and he welcomed the first familiar
sound he heard on these shores。 It must have been
two in the morning then。 And this is all we know
of the manner of his landing； though he did not
arrive unattended by any means。 Only his grisly
company did not begin to come ashore till much
later in the day。 。 。 。〃
The doctor gathered the reins； clicked his
tongue； we trotted down the hill。 Then turning；
almost directly； a sharp corner into the High
Street； we rattled over the stones and were home。
Late in the evening Kennedy； breaking a spell
of moodiness that had come over him； returned to
the story。 Smoking his pipe； he paced the long
room from end to end。 A reading…lamp concen…
trated all its light upon the papers on his desk；
and； sitting by the open window； I saw； after the
windless； scorching day； the frigid splendour of a
hazy sea lying motionless under the moon。 Not a
whisper； not a splash； not a stir of the shingle； not
a footstep； not a sigh came up from the earth be…
lownever a sign of life but the scent of climbing
jasmine； and Kennedy's voice； speaking behind me；
passed through the wide casement； to vanish out…
side in a chill and sumptuous stillness。
〃。 。 。 The relations of shipwrecks in the
olden time tell us of much suffering。 Often the
castaways were only saved from drowning to die
miserably from starvation on a barren coast； oth…
ers suffered violent death or else slavery； passing
through years of precarious existence with people
to whom their strangeness was an object of suspi…
cion； dislike or fear。 We read about these things；
and they are very pitiful。 It is indeed hard upon
a man to find himself a lost stranger； helpless；
incomprehensible； and of a mysterious origin； in
some obscure corner of the earth。 Yet amongst all
the adventurers shipwrecked in all the wild parts of
the world there is not one； it seems to me； that ever
had to suffer a fate so simply tragic as the man I
am speaking of； the most innocent of adventurers
cast out by the sea in the bight of this bay； almost
within sight from this very window。
〃He did not know the name of his ship。 Indeed；
in the course of time we discovered he did not even
know that ships had names'like Christian peo…
ple'； and when； one day； from the top of the Tal…
fourd Hill； he beheld the sea lying open to his view；
his eyes roamed afar； lost in an a
